My only thought on this law is: thank goodness! Finally thegovernment is doing something to punish people that are breakingthe law by file-sharing. I am not saying that I have neverparticipated in file-sharing, in fact I used to share many files,but there is a key phrase they're used to. I no longer file-shareor download music and/or movies. I saw the flaw in the system whenNapster was under fire in late 2000 - it was against the law!
This new law will take the action of the music and movieindustries out of the civil courts and into the criminal arena.From now on the industries no longer have to sue people forfile-sharing, they are now able to send them to prison. The fact ofthe matter is now the government is actually going to step in anddeal with the people that are partaking in file-sharing, instead ofgoing after the creators of file-sharing programs. The recordcompanies have been going after file-sharers for the past year,suing them for each copyrighted song they are sharing. Thegovernment is taking a little load off the shoulders of thecompanies and taking over the assault on illegal downloading.
I know many people that do not buy any CDs; in fact the only waya lot of these people get their music is through illegaldownloading through file-sharing programs such as Kazaa andMorpheus. That is where file-sharing causes problems. Instead ofpicking up a CD for $15, people would rather steal it from the net,and now they are going to risk their freedom while doing so.
This law took way too long to come about. In this fast-pacedworld, the Internet is at the point where many people go therefirst to gather information, shop and communicate, but it has alsobecome a hotbed for criminals. This law should have been written upand enacted right after Napster was shut down in 2001. It wasobvious then that file-sharing was illegal. In the subsequent threeyears, there has been little to no action by the government inregards to file-sharing. They have done nothing but sit back andwatch the record companies fight a losing battle with thefile-sharers, although the companies have won, or settled out ofcourt, the cases they have brought against those who haveparticipated, the number of participants is too numerous for thecompanies to do it alone. Now with the help of the governmentsomething may actually happen to the number of people that breakthe law on a daily basis.
File-sharing is and always has been illegal. So if you are oneof those people that participates, my only advice to you is stop.Ask yourself what is more important, $15 or your freedom?
I made my choice years ago, now I challenge all of you to do thesame.
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